Summary: Phil Taylor started his career at Penn State on the same defensive line as Jared Odrick, whom the Miami Dolphins took in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Unfortunately Taylor was suspended and later kicked off the team for his alleged involvement (charges were dropped) in a fight at a 2007 fraternity function. This is something he has to answer for although a lot of time has passed.

Taylor finally got back to his playing potential in 2010, and by all accounts, he made the most of his fresh start. On the field he is the consensus top prospect for teams looking to fill the nose tackle position in their 3-4. At the next level, he needs to keep his weight under control, improve his stamina and get after the passer a little more to be an elite player. Still, right now he can step in and make an impact in a rotation as a run stopper whom offenses need to avoid.

Player Comparison: Cam Thomas. Across the board these players had nearly identical measurable for size (height/weight, arm/hand) and performance (bench press/40) at their respective NFL Combines. Thomas was also athletic and looked like he would be taken in the second or third round before unexpectedly slipping to San Diego in the fifth, revealing just how uncertain the draft process can be. Both players are space eaters who tend to play high and are unlikely to contribute much rushing the passer.

It might not be glamorous to compare Taylor to a player who just dropped considerably in last year's draft and did not do much as a rookie, but I see a lot of similarities.